Writer: Jamil Zainasheff
Gale’s Prize Old Ale clone
A clone recipe for the famed Gale’s Prize Old Ale brewed in 2022 at Dark Star Brewing Co.
Brewing the Famed Gale’s Prize Old Ale
First brewed about a century ago but on hiatus for more than a decade after ownership changes and turnover, the famed Gale’s Prize Old Ale was recently brewed again at Dark Star Brewing, and our authors had a chance to be a part of the brew day. They share the story and a clone recipe for the old ale.
You Can Go Homebrew Again
A longtime icon in the homebrewing world, Jamil Zainasheff and his wife opened Heretic Brewing Co. in 2010. Having recently sold the brewery, Jamil is once again finding his homebrewing roots.
Jamil’s American Barleywine
The balance of bittering versus malt sweetness should always be toward the bitter, but expect the beer to become more and more balanced as the beer ages and the bittering drops out.
American Barleywine: Aged in the USA
American barleywine is rich and strong. It has a big malt flavor and aggressive hopping, but it still has a balance between the malt character and hop character.
Jamil’s Weizenbock
While the traditional weizen fermentation esters and phenols should be obvious in weizenbock, keep in mind that the fermentation character — the clove and banana — should blend well with the rest of the beer character.
Zek’s Porter
Jamil Zainasheff’s Baltic Porter recipe which can be brewed using a lager strain or any clean fermenting ale yeast.
Bière de Garde
Jamil Zainasheff provides readers with a recipe to brew a classic Biére de Garde farmhouse-style ale.
Saison Ale
Jamil Zainasheff states “The characteristic fruity/spicy flavors and aromas of this style come from fermentation, although some brewers do add spices. While some brewers may add spices, I prefer the more subtle and complex spiciness that fermentation develops.”
Russian Imperial Stout: Style Profile
Russian imperial stout was one of the first beer styles that caught my interest. I remember tasting North Coast Old Rasputin as I read and reread the BJCP style guidelines for the
Mike Riddle’s Tricentennial Stout
My friend Mike Riddle, well known for his award-winning Russian imperial stout, does use a lower attenuating Irish ale strain. He counters this with very high levels of roast malt and hops to try to balance out the residual sweetness. He also keeps the amount of crystal malts to one modest addition of dark crystal.
The Czar’s Revenge
Even though this was at one time a British beer for a Russian court, the resurrection of its popularity in the United States means that a brewer has a number of fermentation choices. The only real must do is avoiding hot, fusel alcohols and an overly sweet finish.
